[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: GEORGE W. BUSH (2001, Book I)]
[May 15, 2001]
[Pages 529-530]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Proposed Patients' Bill of Rights Legislation
May 15, 2001

    The bipartisan proposal introduced today by Senators Frist, Breaux, and 
Jeffords makes important progress in our 
efforts to provide patients with a strong and effective Patients' Bill 
of Rights.
    This bipartisan Patients' Bill of Rights reflects the principles I 
laid out earlier this year. It provides strong patient protections for 
all Americans, ensures that doctors and patients make medical decisions, 
and holds health plans accountable by providing patients with meaningful 
remedies when they have been wrongly denied medical care. The bill also 
protects employers and their employees from unnecessary litigation that 
would increase health care premiums and force too many Americans to do 
without health insurance.
    Congress has been long divided over this issue. I applaud Senators 
Frist, Breaux, and 
Jeffords and the many patient and provider 
groups working with them for finding a commonsense compromise.
    I am similarly encouraged by the bipartisan discussions on this 
issue between the administration and Speaker Hastert and

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other House leaders. These efforts, combined with the introduction of 
this bipartisan bill in the Senate, give me great hope that the Congress 
will send a good Patients' Bill of Rights to my desk this year.